Open-end tube closure



un 1950 D. A. NACHTIGAL 2,512,159

. orzn END TUBE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 22, 1946 INVEN TOR. 00/7/22/ 4-Nae/zbiya/ BY Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

This invention relates to interior closures for open end tubes and inparticular protectors for side walk flag pole tubes wherein the tubesare permanently installed in the side walk with the open exposed endsflush with the surface of the walk.

Side walk flag pole tubes are normally used in the outer edges of sidewalks around public buildings, residences, and the like, and as the endsof the tubes remain open after the flag poles are removed the tubes fillwith dirt, stones and the like, and cleaning objects from the tubes isvery diflicult. A simple form of cap or closure is readily kicked off,or otherwise removed and lost or stolen, so that these flag pole tubesor pipes in side walks generally remain open.

The purpose of this invention is therefore, to provide closures for flagpole tubes in sidewalks which are locked down inside of the tube andwhich may be locked in place and unlocked by a screwdriver.

In providing a closure for flag pole tubes in sidewalks it has beenfound desirable to use a flat cover plate at the end of the tube andthen look the plate by gripping jaws suspended down inside of the tubeand operate the jaws to locking and unlocking position by a screw with ascrew driver slot in the upper exposed end.

The object of the invention is therefore, to provide a protector forside walk flag pole tubes which may readily be installed in the tubesand at the same time readily removed.

Another object is to provide a closure for sidewalk flag pole tubeswhich may be standardized so that when the flag poles are removed it isnot necessary that the same closure be used in the tube from which itwas removed.

A further object is to provide a protector for flag pole tubes insidewalks which is relatively simple and economical in construction.

With these and other objects in view the invention embodies a coverplate, an inner tubular element depending from said cover plate, acentrally positioned screw extending downward from said cover plate, atraveler on said screw, jaws on said traveler extending through notchesin the walls of said inner tubular member, and stops positioned forsliding contact with the jaws.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing the locking element assembly.

Figure 2 is a detail taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a side viewof the locking jaws with the screw broken away.

Figure 3 is a view showing a side elevation of the inner tube.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing the cover plate.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section on line 6-6 of Figure 5, through theprotector and sidewalk flag pole tube.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the inner tube.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts, the flag pole sidewalk protector of this inventionis made with a cover plate l0, an inner tube II, and a screw 12.

The cover plate II] is provided with a central opening I3 for the screw[2, and also openings I 4 for tongues I 5 that extend from the end ofthe tube II, and which ass through the cover plate and are crimped overin assembling, as shown in Figure 6.

The head of the screw I2 is rotatably held in a socket is on the underside of the cover plate Ill, and on the lower part of the screw is atraveler IT with jaws l8 and I9 pivotally mounted thereon through a pin20. The jaws are U-shaped with their legs curved as shown in Figure 6,and their open ends are held on the pin 20 with their closed endsextending through slots 2| and 22 in the sides of the tube H. In thelower end of the tube 1 l are cross bars 23 and 24 forming stops againstwhich the jaws slide in looking and unlocking the protector.

The protector is inserted in a flag pole side walk tube and the screwturned to force the traveler downward to operate the jaws to lockingposition, and then turned in the opposite direction to release thedevice.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the constructionwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a closure for a sidewalk flag pole tube, a cover plate for the end ofthe tube, an inner tubular element depending within the tube from saidcover plate and having a plurality of notches in the side wall thereof,a centrally positioned screw extending downward from said cover plateand having a tool engaging head on the opposite side of the plate tofacilitate rotative movement of the screw within the plate, meanssecured to the underside of the plate for rotatively mounting the screwin the plate, a traveler threadedly supported on said screw, a pluralityof jaws each 3 pivotally secured at one 'end thereof to said travelerand having the opposite end portions thereof extended outwardly throughsaid notches in the tubular element respectively for gripping actionwith the inner side wall of the tube, and means influencing the jaws forgripping and releasing action with respect to said tube side wall as thescrew is turned in opposite directions to cause downward and upwardmovement respectively of the traveler on the screw, said last namedmeans comprising stops carried by said tubular element and positionedfor sliding con- 10 Number tact with the outwardly extending endportions of the jaws.

DANIEL A. NACI-ITIGAL.

REFERENCES CITED Name Date 854,986 De Weese May 28, 1907

